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Dude, RO water is a game-changer. My tank was sketchy until I switched. Also, don't freak out if the melt keeps going for a bit. Plants are weird like that. They'll come back stronger.


Exactly! Patience is key. I've seen tanks where everything melted but regrew lush in a month. Just keep up ...

Glad to help! Another thing, if you're using tap water, check the KH and GH. Some plants like softer water, and high mineral content can stress 'em out. I use RO water with a remineralizer for my more sensitive plants.

I had the same issue when I started my 15-gallon. It's usually the transition shock. Try reducing the light to 6 hours and dose some liquid carbon. Also, make sure your temp isn't too high, around 76F works for me.

I've found that a three-week quarantine works best. It's a middle ground between two weeks and a month. Gives you enough time to spot any issues without dragging it out too long.

I completely spaced that they'd rearrange the driftwood too, not just the rocks and shells. Guess that's just part of their charm. I'll get that journal started, don't worry, just need to figure out where to find those multis first.

I'm making progress with the tank - slowly but surely. The old substrate is being washed out and replaced with the black sand I mentioned earlier. I'm leaning towards using native rocks for the hardscape. Now I just need to decide on the driftwood, lighting, and lid - that's still a work in progress.

I'm aware of that, but I'll be honest, I'm not too keen on adding dithers right now. I might consider them later, after I've gotten to know my shellies better.

Those ocellatus are really stunning, I actually forgot to include them in my initial list of species. I'll definitely keep an eye out for ...

Spiderwood it is then. I'm glad I can avoid the tannin issue. I was really worried about ending up with a tank full of fry that I wouldn't be able to rehome. I think I'll take everyone's advice and skip the dithers for now, I don't want to risk them getting harassed by the shellies.

So, maybe I'll ...

I'm over livebearers, my mom's mollies are just churning out babies nonstop. Thanks for the suggestion though.

One last thing - are shellies notorious jumpers? I'm thinking of ditching the T2 on this tank, not to dim the light, but to have a less elaborate lid.

I can get spiderwood instead, it's more branchy and barely stains the water. My tank's dimensions are roughly 2' x 1'4" x 1'5" - I'm still on the hunt for my measuring tape.

Honestly, I'm not too keen on having fry, and any that do survive will likely end up as a snack for my betta. I've come ...